Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
by The Flower Girl
Summary: Christmas Eve of Gourry and Lina's first year together...that's all I'm going to say


Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: Christmas Eve of Gourry and Lina's first year together. I like sap, sap is good!  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own them, so go away!  
Author's Notes: They're probably a little OOC. Watch me care. Thanks to DS and Shira for reading this thing.  
  
~*~  
He threw some logs on the fire, poured the champagne, and straightened the blanket that hung over the couch. He went about the room straightening things; rugs, blankets, even the way the presents were arranged, so that when she walked down the steps, she would see that everything was perfect for her.  
  
They had only been married for a few months, and he hadn't regretted any minute of it, and he had to admit there were a few benefits that he wouldn't turn down again, but tonight was more important than anything he could think of. It was Christmas Eve, and it was just them, no guests until tomorrow, and no interruptions.  
  
He walked to the window and opened the forest green curtain. The snow fell lightly and he became entranced by the flakes. He fell deep in thought and didn't notice someone step behind him. Hands covered his eyes and a quiet voice whispered in his ear.  
  
"Boo."  
  
He turned around. Lina stood in front of him, hands behind her back, and shoeless.   
  
"Oh, you changed." he commented.  
  
"So did you," she replied back calmly.  
  
"Yes, but...you looked so nice in that dress."  
  
"I don't look nice now?" she asked, stepping forward and placing her hands on her hips.  
  
"No, of course you do! Why would I think anything different?"  
  
She shrugged before setting his gift on the table. She watched him turn from her and shut the curtain, then followed him to the couch. She noticed he straightened the blanket that they had received from her parents as a wedding gift.  
  
He picked up his glass and motioned for her to sit down.  
  
"Join me?" he asked, sipping his champagne.  
  
She sat down, glass in hand, smiling.  
  
"Well..." she started.  
  
"Yeah..." he filled. "So what did you get from your mom for Christmas?"  
  
She blushed, then meekly smiled.  
  
"You'll see," she told him.  
  
"Oh. I got some socks and a sweater."  
  
"What's with all the clothes?" she asked.  
  
"I dunno, but I sure had a great time today. Your family doesn't seem all that bad. What are you afraid of?"  
  
"What am I afraid of?! Did you see my sister?!"  
  
"I did. I talked to her, in fact. She took me aside and laid down the rules, I guess, and even if I didn't already do this, I would, because the last thing I want is to be on the wrong end of a bunch of angry Inverses."  
  
"Laid down the rules?" she repeated. "Luna laid down the rules? For me? Is she feeling OK? What did she tell you?"  
  
He thought for a moment. He set his glass down and inched towards her.  
  
"She said I'd better love you, honor and cherish you, and that if she found out that I ever broke your heart, I'd better damn well be dead before she got here."  
  
He took her hand.  
  
"But I already do all those things, and I wouldn't dream of hurting you. I told her that."  
  
He looked straight into her eyes, and she felt her cheeks flush. She wondered why, since she had been with him for years, and with some coaxing from Ameria, Filia and a few others, they ended the platonic relationship. She hadn't regretted it either, and knew this Christmas would be more different from the rest.  
  
"And," Gourry continued, getting up. "I have something you might like."  
  
He pulled a bottle of Zephilian wine from behind his back.  
  
"I have a few bottles of these, and since you are no longer allowed to crush the grapes, I figured you could drink more of it."  
  
Her eyes widened.  
  
"Who said this?" she asked, pleasantly surprised.  
  
"Your sister and your mother. They gave me the bottles just before we left and I figured you hadn't had it in a long time, and might not mind."  
  
"Oh Gourry! I can't believe it! I haven't had Zephilian wine since I was a kid! What's going on with my family that they like me this much?"  
  
He shrugged and put the bottle in the ice pail for later, and joined her on the couch.  
  
"This is turning into the best Christmas I've ever had, and I think it's because of you..." she trailed off, not thinking of anything in particular.  
  
How had this ever come to be? She couldn't remember. She knew the events of that day; showing up, wondering why everyone was staring at her like she was some sort of specimen, and the trip home, but how she and Gourry had gotten there left her. She looked around, thinking. The house was nice, but what was she going to do with it? Had she settled down already?  
  
"Lina? Lina?" Gourry asked, pulling her back to reality. "Lina? You OK?"  
  
She shook her head a moment.  
  
"This is unbelievable," she muttered to herself.  
  
"Ummm...would you like some cider or something?" he asked, getting up again.  
  
"You made cider?" she asked, also getting up to peek in the kitchen. "What else did you make?"  
  
"Shh," he said, putting a finger to her lips. "I just asked if you wanted some."  
  
"Yes?" she said.  
  
"You're not sure?" he asked teasingly.  
  
"No, I do." she said again.  
  
He disappeared into the kitchen. She sat back down, pulling the blanket down and wrapping it around her. Her eyes caught the tree and focused straight on the presents. Her eyes widened at the thought of how many were hers.  
  
He entered the room once again, two steaming mugs in his hands. She looked at him.  
  
"Can we open gifts now?" she asked as he sat down.  
  
"Sure. I can't wait either. Do you want to wait on personal gifts?"  
  
"Huh? Who do we have presents from?" she asked, confused.  
  
"Well, my family gave us some, we have a couple from Zel and Ameria, a couple from Filia, two from Sylphiel and some more from your family."  
  
Before he had finished speaking, Lina was at the tree trying to separate the piles.  
  
"What the hell? Why are there so many shared gifts?" she asked, looking at her piles.  
  
Gourry slid off the couch and crawled on his knees to where she sat. He pulled her hair back and nuzzled her neck.  
  
"Have you forgotten already?" he asked, sending small chills down her back with every word he released.  
  
She quickly blushed. She'd get used to it, she figured, but until then she'd have to blush.  
  
"No, I haven't forgotten. I just like getting gifts, and we have so many we're sharing."  
  
"Oh come on, sharing can't be that bad, can it?" he teased.  
  
She stopped for a minute and thought about it.  
  
"I guess not. Sharing with you has never been that difficult, unless it's food!" she chuckled.   
  
"Yeah, ya got that right," he agreed, rubbing the part of his head where she had hit him the last time he tried to take something.  
  
"Hey now! You tried taking my food, so you deserved it!"  
  
He shrugged and ripped open a gift.  
  
"Who's it from?" she asked.  
  
He looked at the tag.  
  
"Your mom," he said calmly.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Now this I have to see."  
  
She looked over his shoulder, and watched him destroy the box. He pulled out three items, to which upon seeing them, she gasped, and then laughed. The first item was a pair of green velvet elf boxers with bells on them, the second was a pair of Santa boxers with matching hat, and the third was a T-shirt that said 'All I Want for Christmas is You' with someone wrapped up as a gift on the front. She had to admit that was cute, but wondered what her mother had planned with their two gifts and all that wine. She shrugged and grabbed a gift.  
  
Shortly, the gifts were opened and the pile was gone. She looked at all the boxes that littered the living room floor and sighed. It was over, and almost everything was practical, with the exception of Gourry's gifts from her mom and the cookies from Sylphiel. What was with all the pans anyway? She shrugged and brought them into the kitchen. She was on her way out when two strong arms grabbed her waist and pulled her close.  
  
"Merry Christmas," Gourry whispered in her ear. "This year is so much better than the rest of them because I'm spending it with you."  
  
She giggled, noticing his hands couldn't stay still. She turned to him.  
  
"I already said you were gonna get lucky..."  
  
"I know, but it's hard for my hands to stay still when they're around someone they like touching."  
  
She giggled again, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face to hers.   
  
When they broke away, she smiled.  
  
"I want to open your gift!" she said, releasing herself from his grip and running back into the living room.  
  
He smiled, and grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard before following her.  
  
He walked into the living room and took the bottle of wine from the ice pail. He poured two glasses and then sat down.  
  
"So...what'dya get me?" she asked.  
  
"It's a secret," he said quietly, handing her the glass.  
  
"Well, damn, I guess I didn't know I married Xelloss." she said sarcastically.  
  
"Ouch," he said mockingly. "That hurt."  
  
He handed her his present, which was double layered.  
  
"Open the bottom one first," he told her.  
  
"You got me pajamas?!" she asked incredulously after opening it.  
  
"I want you to be warm," he said, pulling her close.  
  
She chuckled as she opened the present that was on the top and her eyes shimmered when the wrapping was torn away.  
  
"You got me chocolate?! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" she screeched, grabbing him and kissing him.  
  
"I didn't know you liked chocolate that much..."  
  
"I never have it! Thank you so much! Now here's yours."  
  
It looked like a simple gift, plain gold wrapping with a green bow. Gourry shook it and then attacked it.  
  
"Ya got me...a watch?"  
  
"Yeah. You need one. Thanksgiving we were late because you didn't know the time. Plus, it lights up, so you can see it in the dark."  
  
"Oh, well, thank you."  
  
~*~  
  
The fire died down, and they cuddled in the blanket, talking, joking and drinking the entire bottle of wine. Realizing their Christmas Eve was drawing to a close, Gourry slid his finger across her cheek to wake her.  
  
"I'm not tired."  
  
"Lina, you're drooling on my shoulder, I think that means that you're sleeping."  
  
"I can't be sleeping. This isn't over yet, and you haven't seen what my mother got me."  
  
"Which reminds me, what did your mom give you?" he asked simultaneously.  
  
~~  
She exited the bathroom, wearing barely enough to keep her warm on that winter evening.  
  
"Oh, so that's why she got me those boxers," Gourry said, looking up from the bed.  
  
Before him stood his petite sorceress, wearing a Santa teddy and matching hat and nothing more. She was red enough that he couldn't tell where her face, hair, or hat began. He stood up to greet her, jingling all the way. She giggled; he was actually wearing those elf boxers. He looked up and down her form a few times before speaking.  
  
"It's cute. It's a shame it'll only be on for a few minutes," he said, picking her up and laying her by the dozen red roses he'd bought her.  
  
She giggled as he blazed a trail from her ear to her shoulders, and shivered as he pulled her strap down and worked his way south.   
  
She sighed, and thought quietly. 'This is definitely the best Christmas I've ever had. I hope it's just as good for him as it is for me.'  
  
She closed her eyes and helped him along, bound and determined to make it the best night of their lives.  
  
~fin~  
  
A/N: There ya go. Have a shippy Christmas fic. ^__^ I wanted to do this for a while now. Also, the teddy(at least I think it's a teddy) and the boxers I saw at Mervyn's when I was shopping with my aunt for shoes, and told myself to put it in here. The T-shirt I made up, but I want one now! ;P Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review. 


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